Vayu Purana - English Translation - Part 2 of 2

THE

VAYU PURANA

PART II

MOTILAL BANARSIDASS • DELHI

First Edition : Delhi, I960

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CONTENTS

CHAPTERS

1. Manvantaras: The Milking of the Earth 457

2. The Dyanasty of Pjthu 474

3. Vaivasvata Manvantara: The Marica Creation 479

4. The Race of Prajapati: Rebirth of Seven Sages 483

5. The Race of Dharma 497

6. Curse to Jaya Gods: Nrsimha Incarnation: Race of

Hiranyakaiipu : Birth of Marut-gods 510

7. The Race of Kasyapa : Danu*s Progeny 522

8. Dynasties Descended from Kasyapa 525

9. The Race of Sages 553

10. The Procedure of Sraddha 561

11. The Birth ofSkanda: Rules Prescribed for Srad-

dha 569

12. The Procedure of Sraddha (Continued) 580

13. The Procedure of Sraddha Performance (Conti-
nued) 584

1 4. The Procedure Regarding Performance of Sraddha :

The Five Mahayajflas 591

15. Sacred Places for Sr&ddha 596

16. The Sr&ddha Ritual: Purificatory Rites 610

1 7. The Test for Eligibility of a Brahmana (for Srad-

dha Invitation) 618

18. Benefit Derived from Charitable Gifts 627

Contents

19. Benefit of Sraddha Performance on Various

20. Benefit of Sraddha Performance under Different
Constellations

21. Miscellaneous Topics: Qualifications of a Brah-
mana for Sraddha-gifts : Merits of Performance of
Sraddha at Sacred Places

22. The Race of Varuna : Birth of A£vin-gods

23. Creative Activity of Manus: The Story of Sud-
yumna

24. A Dissertation on Music: The Definition of Murc-
chana

25. The Science of Music : The Embellishments

26. The Iksvaku Dynasty

27. The Nimi Dynasty

28. The Nativity of Soma and Saumya (Budha)

29. The Lunar Race : The Amavasu Dynasty

30. The Origin of Dhanvantari; Varanasi Cursed;
Raji’s Exploits

31 . The Story of Yayati

32. The Birth of Kartavlrya

33. The Dynasty of Jyamagha and Vfsni

34. The Race of Vfsni

35. Wars between Suras and Asuras: Bhrgu curses
Visnu: The Eulogy of Sambhu by Sukra

36. Glorification of Visnu’s Greatness

• •

37. Royal Dynasties

38. The Manvantaras and Dissolution of the Universe

39. Worlds from Maharloka to Siva’s City

40. Dissolution of the Universe

41. Recreation of the Cosmic Egg

42. Dissipation of Vyasa’s Doubts

43. The Greatness of Gaya

44. The Glory of Gaya : The Story of Gayasura

633

636

638

649

656

659

666

672

691

694

698

708

717

727

732

737

758

778

789

827

846

877

891

899

910

916

Contents

45. Gayamahatmya (Contd.): The Story ofSila 924

46. Gayamahatmya (Contd.): Sila-tlrtha and Other

Sacred Spots 929

47. Gayamahatmya (Contd.): The Glory of Adigada-

dhara 942

48. Procedure of the Pilgrimage to Gaya 947

49. Procedure of the Pilgrimage at Gaya (Continued) 954

50. The Glory of Gaya 965

INDEX 973

Abbreviations

GS Gfhya Sutra (preceded by the name of the author

such as Apastamba)

HD History of Dharma Sdstra , P. V. Kane, G. O. S.

I A The Indian Antiquary

I HQ The Indian Historical Quarterly

JP Purdna (Journal of the Kashiraj Trust), Varanasi

KA Kaufilya ArthaS&stra

KP Karma Purdna , Venkafesvara Press Edn., Bom-

bay; also Kashiraj Trust Edn., Varanasi, 1971
LP Lihga Purdna , GM, 1960; also MLBD, Delhi, 1981

Manu. Manusmfti

Mbh. Mahdbhdrata, Gita Press, Gorakhpur, VS 2014

MkP Mdrkanieya Purdna

MN Mahdbhdrata N&mdnukraman i, Gita Press, Gorakh-

pur, VS 2016

MtP Matsya Purdna, GM, 1954

MW Monier Williams’ Sanskrit- English Dictionary , MLBD,

Delhi, 1976

NP Ndradiya or Ndrada Purdna, VenkaJeSvara Press,

Bombay

PCK Bhdratavarfiya Prdcina CaritrakoSa , Siddheshwar

Shastri, Poona, 1968
Pd.P. Padma Purdna, GM, 1957-59

PE Purdnic Encyclopaedia , V. Mani, English version,

MLBD, Delhi, 1975

PR or Purank Records on Hindu Rites and Customs ,

PRHRG R. G. Hazra, Calcutta, 1948

RV Rg-Veda , Svadhyaya Mandal, Aundh

Sat.Br. Satapatha Brdhmana

SG or SMG Smfti Candrikd by Devanna Bhatta
SEP Studies in Epks and Purdnas , A.D. Pusalkar, Bhara-

tiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), Bombay

vAyu purAna

PART II

CHAPTER ONE

Manvantaras : The Milking of the Earth
Obeisance to Sri gane§a

Samiapdyana said :

1. I wish to know precisely the order of Manvantaras 1 and
all the respective deities pertaining to the different Manvan-
taras.

Suta said :

2. Listen to and understand as I recount succinctly and
in detail, the Manvantaras which have gone and which are
yet to come.

3. The first Manu was Svayambhuva and thefi there was
Svarocisa Manu. Thereafter the Manus were Auttama, Tamasa,

1 Manvantara is a period during which a Manu presides over the
world. It (the period) consists of seventyone cycles of four yugas ( catur-yugi )
or one-fourteenth part of god Brahma’s day. In other words there are
fourteen Manus in one day of Brahma at the end of which there is Pralaya
( Dissolution) of the universe. Every Manu has his special set of gods, Indra,
an incarnation of Visnu, seven sages ( saptar$is ). Thus in the 1st Manvantara,
Svayambhuva (the son of god Brahma) was the presiding Manu, Yamas
were the gods, Yajha, the incarnation of Vi§nu officiated as Indra and the
group of seven sages consisted of Marici, Atri, Angiras, Pulaha, Kratu,
Pulastya and Vasistha. In every Manvantara, though the set of these func-
tionaries is different, they have got the same powers, functions and the same
tenure.

The description of Manvantaras is one of the five essential characteristics
of a Purat>a. Thus we find Pura^as like Bh. P. VIII. 1.29, NP. 1.40.17-37,
VP. Ill chs. 1 and 2, KP.I.51, Bd. P. I.2.3G describing various Manvantaras.

458 Vdyu Purdna

Raivata and Caksusa. These six Manus have already passed
away. I shall explain the eight future Manus. 1

4. They are the five Savarnas, Raucya, Bhautya and Vai-
vasvata. I shall explain them after Vaivasvata Manu.

5. Know the five Manus who have passed away to be
Manavas. The Manvantara of Svayambhuva Manu which has
already passed has been described by me.

6. Henceforth, I shall describe briefly the activity of crea-
tion by Svarocisa, the second Manu of noble soul. 2

7. In the Svarocisa Manvantara, there were the Devas
called Tusitas and the learned scholars called Paravatas. Only
these two are remembered as the groups of Devas.

8. They were born of Tusita as the sons of Kratu, the
Svarocisa (Manu) .The Paravatas and the remaining ones — these
two Gams (groups) consist of twelve each. (Thus) all these
Devas together are remembered as chandajas and they are twen-
ty-four (in number).

9-10. DhaivasyaSa, Vamanya, Gopa, Devayata, lord Aja,
the powerful lord Durona, Apa of powerful arms, the vigorous
Mahaujas, Cikitvan, Nibhrta, Viryavan, and Amsa : these were
the sons of Kratu. They were then the imbibers of Soma.

11-13. Lord Pracetas, Visvedcva, Samafija who was well
known, Ajihma the suppressor of enemies, Ajihmana and Mahi-
yana endowed with learning, the blessed Aja and Usa, Yavlya
of great strength, Hotr and Yajva were the Paravatas of great
exploit. These all were the deities who functioned in the Svaro-
cisa Manvantara.

14. At that time these twenty- four Dcvatas (deities) were
the imbibers of Soma. Their Indra (ruler and leader) was
Vaidha who was world-famous.

15-10. The Saptarsis (the Seven Sages) were Orja the son
of Vasistha, Starhbhathe son of Kafyapa, Drona the sonofBhfgu,

1 . There are some variations in the names of future Manus in some
Puranas. Our Purana gives some different names (such as Raucya and
Bhautya) of future Manus.

2. Verses 6-22 enumerate and describe the functionaries ( gods, Indra
etc.) during the second Manvantara.